Major League Rugby will remain on ESPN platforms for the 2027 season, extending a partnership that gives fans more ways to follow the sport’s continued rise in North America.
The agreement keeps Sunday Night Rugby as a weekly primetime destination, with a featured match streaming live and exclusively on the ESPN App. Five additional matches will air on ESPN’s linear channels during the season.
From Sunday Night Rugby to the MLR Playoffs, ESPN empowered our league to bring our stories to millions of viewers around the country, and we’re thrilled in 2027 to once again be able to leverage ESPN to showcase our sport to an ever-growing national audience,” said Alex Magleby, co-President of MLR. “Extending the agreement for our flagship Sunday Night Rugby program illuminates that the hard work we’re doing is paying off, and we’re focused on making MLR easier to watch for fans everywhere with additional announcements soon.
For the Seawolves and supporters across the Pacific Northwest, the continued ESPN partnership means another season in which the energy of Major League Rugby can reach both longtime fans and people seeing the sport for the first time.
The announcement follows a season of meaningful growth for MLR. National broadcast viewership increased 55 percent year over year, while ESPN+ streaming grew 27 percent. Across the league’s digital channels, Instagram organic views rose 96 percent, YouTube views increased 53 percent, TikTok shares grew 714 percent, and web engagement climbed 139 percent. League-wide ticket sales also increased 23 percent.
Those figures tell a connected story. More people are finding MLR on broadcast and streaming platforms, engaging with the league online, sharing rugby with friends, and experiencing the sport in person. The continued presence of Sunday Night Rugby on ESPN creates another important opportunity to keep that momentum moving.
Seattle has long been one of North American rugby’s most passionate markets. As the league enters 2027, the Seawolves look forward to bringing that passion from Starfire Stadium to viewers around the country, and welcoming new supporters into the matchday experience along the way.
Stay tuned and get excited for upcoming Seawolves team announcements and the 2027 schedule release.
Experience Seawolves rugby in person at Starfire Stadium. Become a 2027 season ticket member today.
